In the construction and related trades, it is necessary in almost every situation to provide protection to the surfaces located nearby and adjacent to the work locations and the pathways leading to and from these locations. Examples are, without limitation, locations within buildings, including flat and sloped tile, wood, carpet and stone floor surfaces, and outside buildings, including flat and sloped ground surfaces comprised of softscape, e.g. grass (natural and synthetic), and flat and sloped tile, wood, and stone and a wide variety of other natural and synthetic deck and outdoor surfaces. Flat and sloped roof surfaces require the same kind of protection.
A building's roof is intended to keep out the heat of the sun, the chill of the wind, and precipitation. A long roof-life is desirable in order to avoid the inconvenience and the damage that can result from a leaky roof and the usually associated high cost of repair and maintenance. Many roofing materials, which normally have a long life-span even when they are exposed to the damaging effects of sunlight and precipitation, can still become desiccative and extremely brittle over time. Brittle roofing materials can include natural materials, such as slate, and also man-made materials constructed of synthetic or inorganic components. Some man-made materials designed to be used instead of slate, such as those that are cement or oil based, or wood, can become extremely brittle as well. Roofing surface materials, even those that tend not to become as brittle as some others, e.g. composition shingle and metal, still require protection from damage in the process of installing, repairing or maintaining a flat or sloping roof surface.
Accordingly, a suitable apparatus is necessary for distributing the load of a person's weight and the weight of any materials or equipment that person might be carrying to permit such person to walk about and work without causing damage to the underlying surface. This apparatus needs to be stable and provide a safe and reliable working platform upon which a person may walk and work in any direction properly balanced while protecting the underlying surfaces, as described heretofore.